Package of rolls obtained by a wrapping machine and method for obtaining such package

ABSTRACT

A package of rolls obtained by a wrapping machine includes: a group of rolls composed of at least three layers of rolls, situated one over another; a sheet shaped in tubular form for wrapping the group of rolls, with the relative longitudinal edges overlapped and heat-welded, and with the wings of each head of the tubular sheet being folded against the rolls and then stabilized by heat-welding.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to packages formed by a pluralityof rolls wrapped within a protective wrapping; these packages areobtained by a wrapping machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] It is known that packages formed by wrapping machines includesgroup of rolls in which the rolls are arranged in one or two layers:each layer is formed by two or more rows (for example three, four orfive rows), and each row includes one or more rolls (for example up tofive rolls).

[0003] The rolls are destined to hygienic use (marked with theabbreviation BR) or to a different use, e.g. in kitchen (marked with theabbreviation KR).

[0004] The rolls disposed in the above mentioned layers are arrangedhorizontally (BR and KR types) or vertically (only the BR type).

[0005] The wrapping is formed by a sheet of synthetic resin; thewrapping machine enfolds the sheet in tubular form around the package ofrolls, so as to overlap the longitudinal edges of the sheet, which arelater heat-welded.

[0006] The four wings of each head of the tubular sheet, two verticalwings and two horizontal wings, are folded by folder means of thewrapping machine.

[0007] Usually, first the two vertical wings are folded inwards, totouch the rolls, and then the horizontal wings, upper and lower, arefolded to overlap the ones previously folded. Welding the wingscompletes the package.

[0008] There are also other packages formed of packs of rolls introducedinto bags, all obtained by the so-called bagging machines.

[0009] In the same conditions, the bagging machines are slower, morecomplicated and less flexible with respect to the wrapping machines;moreover the protective wrapping is a bag, thus it is different from thewrapping obtained by the wrapping machines.

[0010] The width and depth of the packages obtained by the wrappingmachines depend respectively on the number of rows, on the number ofrolls in each row, and obviously, on the diameter and axial extension(length) of each roll.

[0011] In order to increase the number of rolls for package, taking inconsideration rolls having the same dimensions, the number of rows andthe number of rolls in each row is changed.

[0012] This possibility is limited by the dimension of the wrappingmachine; beyond certain package width and depth the machinefunctionality or productivity is not ensured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The object of the present invention is to propose a package,obtained by a wrapping machine, which package is formed in such a way,as to contain more rolls with respect to known packages, while keepingthe same number of rows of rolls, keeping the same number of rolls forrow and with the same roll dimensions.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to propose a packagewhich allows an increase of the production rate obtained by the wrappingmachine.

[0015] A further object of the present invention is to propose a packagewhich fulfills the previous objects using also pressed rolls.

[0016] The above mentioned objects are obtained, in accordance with thecontents of the claims, by a package of rolls obtained by a wrappingmachine, the package including a group of rolls composed of at leastthree layers of rolls, situated one over another; a sheet wrapped intubular form around the group of rolls for wrapping the group of rolls,with the longitudinal edges of said sheet overlapped and heat-welded,and with the wings of each head of the sheet being folded against therolls and then stabilized by heat-welding.

[0017] The package is obtained by a method including: forming of a groupof rolls composed of at least three layers of rolls, situated one overanother; wrapping of said group of rolls within a heat-weldable sheet intubular form, with the relative longitudinal edges of the sheet beingoverlapped; inward folding of the vertical wings of the heads of thesheet against the rolls; heat-welding of said longitudinal edgesperformed in time relation with said folding, inward folding of thehorizontal wings of said heads, so as to make the latter match with theprevious, already folded, vertical wings, performed in time relationwith the edges heat-welding; stabilization of the folded wings of saidheads by heat-welding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CLAIMS

[0018] The characteristic features of the present invention are pointedout in the following description, with reference to the encloseddrawings, in which:

[0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the proposedpackage;

[0020]FIG. 1A is a front schematic view of the package of FIG. 1, in areduced scale with respect to FIG. 1;

[0021]FIGS. 2 and 4 show perspective views of other embodiments of theproposed package;

[0022]FIGS. 3A and 3B show a front and lateral view of a furtherembodiment of the package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] With reference to FIG. 1, the general reference number 1indicates a group of rolls R (e.g. of BR type), arranged horizontallyand formed by three layers Z1, Z2, Z3.

[0024] According to the shown example, each layer is defined by fiverows F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 of rolls, and each row is formed by five rollsR.

[0025] The package is obtained by a wrapping machine which wraps thegroup of rolls within a sheet 2 (film) of synthetic resin (e.g.heat-weldable material).

[0026] The sheet is in tubular form with relative longitudinal edges 3A,3B heat-welded (FIG. 1A).

[0027] The four wings 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D of each head are folded inwards(first the vertical wings are folded and later, in suitable timerelation with the previous folding and heat-welding of the wings, thehorizontal wings are folded and overlap the vertical ones), to touch therolls.

[0028] The configuration imposed to the wings is stabilized byheat-welding.

[0029] The package C1 is defined by the group of rolls 1 and the sheet 2wrapping it.

[0030] The characterizing aspect is that of proposing a package obtainedby a wrapping machine, formed by at least three layers Z1, Z2, Z3,situated one over another.

[0031] In the shown example, there are five rows; it is understood therows can be less (one to four rows) or more than five.

[0032] There are five rolls for each row in FIGS. 1, 1A. Obviously, therolls in each row can be less than five, for example one to four rolls,or more than five.

[0033]FIG. 2 shows a group 10 of rolls R*, of KR type, arrangedhorizontally; the group is formed by at least three layers Z1, Z2, Z3,situated one over another.

[0034] In the shown example, each layer is defined by five rows F1, F2,F3, F4, F5 of rolls R* and each row includes three rolls.

[0035] The group of rolls 10, includes the same number of rows and thesame number of rolls R* for row, as the group of rolls 1.

[0036] The group of rolls 10 is obtained by a wrapping machine,therefore it is wrapped within a sheet 20 in the same way as describedand illustrated with reference to the sheet 2 wrapping the group ofrolls 1 of FIG. 1.

[0037] The package C2, according to a second embodiment of theinvention, is defined by the group of rolls 10 and the sheet 20 wrappingit.

[0038]FIGS. 3A, 3B shows a group 30 of rolls R1, of BR type, arrangedhorizontally.

[0039] The group of rolls 30, like the previous groups of rolls 1, 10,includes at least three layers Z1, Z2, Z3, situated one over another.

[0040] Each of the rolls R1 is press-squashed, on planes parallel to therelated axis, in order to reduce their dimensions with respect to thetraditional rolls.

[0041] The group of rolls 30 is produced by a wrapping machine whichwraps it within a sheet 40, in order to define another embodiment C3 ofthe package, proposed by the invention.

[0042] The number of rows in each layer and the number of rolls R1 ineach row are defined in the same way as for the packages C1, C2 of theprevious embodiments.

[0043]FIG. 4 shows a group 50 of rolls R2, of BR type, arrangedvertically. This group of rolls is composed of at least three layers Z1,Z2, Z3, situated one over another.

[0044] According to the shown example, each layer is formed by five rowsK1, K2, K3, K4 with each row obtained by putting the parallel rolls R2close to each other.

[0045] It is understood that the number of rows can be less or more thanfive, and likewise, the number of rolls for each row.

[0046] The group of rolls 50 is formed by a wrapping machine which wrapsit within a wrapping of a sheet 60, which is folded and stabilized, inthe same way as the sheets 1, 20, 40 of the previous packages C1, C2,C3.

[0047] Still with reference to FIG. 4, a further embodiment C4 of theproposed package is obtained by the group of rolls 50 and the sheet 60.

[0048] The group of rolls 1, 10, 30, 50 can be formed by using anymethod or apparatus, e.g. an oscillating delivery device, whichoscillates between three levels. A layer of rolls is discharged at eachlevel upon an elevator. Otherwise, an elevator with variable stroke isused, which cooperates with mechanical stop devices holding first onelayer of rolls and then, two layers situated one over each other, sothat another layer ca be formed on the elevator. This last layer pushesand raises the two previously formed layers.

[0049] The proposed package contains more rolls with respect to knownpackages, having rolls with the same shape, width and depth. Thisinfluences positively the wrapping machine production rate; thispositive aspect results from the fact that the group of rolls includedwithin the package includes at least three layers of rolls, situated oneover another.

[0050] Another advantage derives from the fact that the proposed packageis obtained by wrapping machines, which form a group of rolls faster andin an extremely flexible way, with respect to bagging machines.

[0051] Consequently, the present invention provides a package obtainedby a wrapping machine, in which a group of rolls includes at least threelayers of rolls of BR or KR type, with horizontal or vertical axis,possibly press-squashed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A package of rolls obtained by a wrapping machine, the package including: a group of rolls composed of at least three layers of rolls, situated one over another; a sheet wrapped in tubular form around the group of rolls for wrapping the group of rolls, with the longitudinal edges of said sheet overlapped and heat-welded, and with the wings of each head of the sheet being folded against the rolls and then stabilized by heat-welding.
 2. A package according to claim 1, wherein each layer is composed of at least one row of rolls.
 3. A package according to claim 2, wherein each row of rolls includes at least one roll.
 4. A package according to claim 1, wherein said rolls are arranged horizontally.
 5. A package according to claim 1, wherein each of said rolls is press-squashed along vertical planes, parallel to the relative axis, and is arranged horizontally.
 6. A package according to claim 1, wherein said rolls are arranged vertically.
 7. A method for obtaining a package of rolls by a wrapping machine, the method including: forming of a group of rolls composed of at least three layers of rolls, situated one over another; wrapping of said group of rolls within a heat-weldable sheet in tubular form, with the relative longitudinal edges of the sheet being overlapped; inward folding of the vertical wings of the heads of the sheet against the rolls; heat-welding of said longitudinal edges performed in time relation with said folding, inward folding of the horizontal wings of said heads, so as to make the latter match with the previous, already folded, vertical wings, performed in time relation with the edges heat-welding; stabilization of the folded wings of said heads by heat-welding.
 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said rolls are arranged horizontally.
 9. A method according to claim 7, wherein each of said rolls is press-squashed along vertical planes, parallel to the relative axis, and is arranged horizontally.
 10. A method according to claim 7, wherein said rolls are arranged vertically. 